Arts in Common set for Oct. 2

Monday

Sep 27, 2010 at 12:01 AMSep 27, 2010 at 10:48 AM

Last October Lynn Watts, chairwoman of the Westborough Cultural Council, spent 18 months preparing for “Arts in the Common,’’ when days before the event, she encountered a problem she did not expect: rain.

Kelleigh Welch/Staff Writer

Last October Lynn Watts, chairwoman of the Westborough Cultural Council, spent 18 months preparing for “Arts in the Common,’’ when days before the event, she encountered a problem she did not expect: rain.

Watts, who worked with council members to host a new arts festival, planned to hold the event on the Bay State Commons’ green. But with a wet and dreary forecast, Watts had to move the carefully planned event indoors.

However, despite the setback, she said the event was a success thanks to a number of helpful volunteers, and the Cultural Council is almost ready for its second annual “Arts in Common” event, scheduled for Oct. 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The event will showcase various mediums of art, from the work of local artists and crafters, to music and dance performance artists who will perform at two sites: the bandstand in the Bay State Commons’ green and Forbes Municipal Building.

Watts said the council already had to turn art vendors away, as their maximum was 50. These artisans will showcase their work at booths along the Bay State Commons’ green, and some works will be available for purchase.

Each vendor was required to spend $50 for a booth, but Watts said this money would go back to the town in the form of grants for local cultural groups.

“I understand that’s hundreds of dollars, but it all goes back to the town, which allows us to do more for the town. That’s why people are so supportive,” Watts said.

In 2009 Watts said between 1,500 and 2,000 people attended the event.

“We held it totally inside because it poured,” Watts said. “The fact that it happened at all was really because of all the help that everyone gave.

“We found out we could use some of the empty buildings that were available and got the keys on a Wednesday night,” Watts said. “However, what we found out was these buildings were so dusty you could not see from one end (of a room) to another. We cleaned, and I mean cleaned. We swept, vacuumed, dusted, and one woman even brought her preschooler to help. She equipped her son with rubber gloves that came up to his elbows and he was so thrilled to clean the toilets.”

Her point, she said, was that despite the late change to an indoor venue, the community was willing to step up to help prepare for the event and make it a success.

“It was amazing. We had printed 100 T-shirts for volunteers and thought we would sell a number of them, but we only had three to sell,” said Watts.

Watts said she expects more volunteers this year.

“I’m not sure of the exact number,” said Watts. “Our list of people to thank is extensive. The Boy Scouts are involved and the schools are heavily involved. Superintendent Marianne O’Connor has been with us the whole way.”

Local vendors will also sell food. The Rotary Club of Westborough will cook hamburgers and hotdogs, while Rasoi Indian Restaurant and Sichuan Gourmet Chinese will also sell food.

Katherine Leblanc, vice chairwoman of Cultural Council is in charge of the silent auction, which will take place in the vacant retail spaces 101, 102 and 103 of the Bay State Commons.

“Each of the vendors will donate items,” Leblanc said. “Area merchants are also donating things like gift cards, piano lessons, plumbing, all sorts of things.”

Bidding will begin at 10 a.m. and end around 2:30 p.m. Winners will be notified by phone or can pick up their items after the bidding closes, Leblanc said.

Events and activities for families and children will be available, and booths offering face painting and henna tattoos can be found among the vendors.

“It’s just incredible how everyone has pulled together,” Watts said.

For more information on the “Arts in Common” event, visit www.westboroughculturalcouncil.com, or stop by Town Hall, 34 East Main St.

“Last year was our first year and we had a great turnout. We’re hoping the weather’s going to be beautiful this year,” Leblanc said. “This is a nice community event to pull all sorts of people together.”